The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-19
POPULAR SCIENCE

| n S1C1llan has lnYesJeu u EleIuou ny
which cremation is accomplished by
means of electricity. 1t requires dyna-
ITO like those employed for arc lights.
1t is stated that the effect of the intense
heat is to vaporize the entire body.
The military doctors account for the
prevalence of disease of the heart in the
French army as arising from the fatigu-
ing duties imposed on recruits at an age
when, generally, the development of the
body is not in harmony with that of the
heart, but either in advance of it or be-
hind it. In the latter case, there is
hypertrophy of growth; in the former,
insufficiency.
Some curious results produced by ex-
ploding marked blocks of gun-cotton on
flat plates of wrought iron have been de-
scribed by Mr.. c. E. Monroe. The gun
cotton blocks were placed with the let
tered side down, and the letters stamped
in relief appeared in relief on the iron
after the explosion, while on the other
hand, the letters depressed in the gun
cotton were also depressed on the iron
plate.
Experimentsa are being made at Cap de
To- Heve, near the mouth of the Seine, on
the production of electricity for light
house purposes by ymeans of the force OBJ
tanned by windmills. The system, if
successful, will have the advantage of
costing only the putting up of the ma
chinery. The whole question to be as
certained is whethera sufficient quantity
of electricity can bestored to provide for
the requirements of any particular sta
ton when there is no. wind to move the
sails of the mill.
In a paper on indicative Plants" DR..
r.. W.. Raymond considers connection
which is reported to exist between certain
plants and the metallic contents of the
soil on which they grow. Among the
instances cited are the zinc-violet, of the
Calamine Hills of Rhenish Prussia and
Belgium; the lead-plant, believed by
the American miners to grow only in
localities containing galena; and the
silver-plant, which is regarded as a sign
of silver-ore. The theories on this SUBJ
iect, If there be any, still lack the essen
tial elements of veriieation.
Lieutenant Hovgaard, the Arctic trav-
eler who made the northeast passage
with Nordenskiold, is already preparing
for his expedition to East Greenland next
summer. His ambitious purpose Is, II
possible, to complete the exploration OF
the northeast coast, join his discoveries
with those of Lockwood, and thus finally
determine the outlines and extent of the
great island. He also hopes to ascertain
If there is any truth in the story told
by East coast natives that far north a
strait runs clear across Greenland, cut
ting it into two islands. If there Is any
truth in this report, the western end OF
the strait must join Melville Bay, whose
shore line is very imperfectly known.
In paper before late meeting of the
Seismofogical Society of Japan, Pro-
fessor Milne mentioned the signs OF alarm
which the lower animals often show just
before earthquakes. Ponies were OBJ
served to prance in their stalls half q
minute before q shock last January.
Proof has been found that pheasants
scream, and frogs suddenly cease their
croaking, while geese, swine and dogs
give the clearest indications of an ap.
preaching earthquake. 1t was suggested
that the animals are probably very sensi-
tive to slight preliminary tremors,
though in volcanic districts small ami
mails have been not only alarmed but
even killed by gases escaping just before
earthquakes.
Mr.. T. P. White, in communication
to the Chemical Society, gives de-
cidedly negative answer to the question
whether the acids of canned fruits may
not form poisonous salts with the tin.
He reports, as the result of his expert.
ments, that ''tin is entirely devoid Of
danger when taken internally in any
form that might arise from being in con-
tact with fruits or vegetables" He be-
lieves that the cases of accidental poison
ing attributed to tin were due to solder
or other impurities-arsenic, copper, or
lead. Professor W. Mattieu Williams
says that there need be no lead in the
solder that it is only put in for cheap
ness sake, and that tin makes superior
solder to any alloy. Therefore, all dan
ger may be obviated by prohibiting the
use of any other solder than pure tin.